Gaian Tarot Artist's Journal

Home from the Readers Studio

I’m home from another deeply satisfying Readers Studio.  This is one Tarot event I will just not miss, even though the ten-plus hours of travel to and from the east coast is exhausting.  (Yesterday was my rest, recoup, and reconnect-with-my-sweetie day.)   

Even now I have a collage of mad images and snippets of conversations, faces and readings dancing around in my head.   I realized on the way home that the folks I connect with at the Readers Studio are becoming another family for me and these events are our family reunions.  Even though we may only see each other once or twice a year, our bonds are strengthened each time and go a little bit deeper. 

I love being with people who really “get” me and value the work that I do.  I love being able to share my unique gifts with others and be appreciated for it.  (Who wouldn’t?)

I’ve been involved in a number of spiritual and mundane groups over the years, and I’ve found that the people of the Tarot tribe are some of the warmest and most generous people anywhere.  There is a significant lack of superiority/ego among the Tarot luminaries — the authors, teachers and deck creators.  They are accessible and totally down to earth.  Is there something, do you think, about a lifelong study of Tarot that helps people maintain this balance of self-confidence and humility?  I wouldn’t be surprised.

Home from Wisconsin

(Photo: Rue and me at my vending table)

I'm home from WATTS -- the Tarot conference in Wisconsin. I had a fabulous time. It was my first trip to the Midwest (outside of Chicago hotels and airports), and I was enchanted.  Green rolling hills, rivers, lakes, and . . . fireflies!!  I travelled with Rue, one of the sister priestess-initiates of the Silver Grove, who lives in St. Paul.  She was a wonderful hostess and took good care of me, even going so far as to make green smoothies for us every morning, which I deeply, deeply appreciated.

Travelin' and Visitin'

Seattle was in the midst of a heat wave (96 degrees!!!) Wed night when I spent the night there and caught an early-early flight to Minneapolis.  I've been staying with my friend Rue in her beautiful country-in-the-city home in St. Paul.  What a beautiful city.  Large, old trees everywhere -- cottonwoods and maples and spruces and more I can't identify.   Mmmm.  Lovely old brick buildings.  Parts of the city remind me of Portland, Oregon and parts of it remind me of Portland, Maine. 

Rue is a wonderful collage and paper artist, and I got to spend the night in her studio/altar room.  How lovely to sleep surrounded by such creativity.  It's the heart of the house, this room.   Rue is busy making green smoothies for us to take on the road.   We'll drive to Madison, Wisconsin today, find a co-op there to pick up more green smoothie makings, then head over to Watertown in time for the party tonight that kicks off WATTS - Wisconsin Area Tri-State Tarot Symposium. I'll be vending and doing readings with my deck-in-progress.  I'm so looking forward to seeing my Tarot friends, and meeting new ones too!

Report to come!  Enjoy the summer . . .

Shopping for Carbon Offsets

Now that I'm home and getting caught up on work, paying bills, laundry and sniffing the sweet spring rain, I decided to go shopping for carbon offsets to neutralize the "cost" of my recent airline travel.

I completely missed Earth Day as it took place the same day as the last day of the Readers Studio. (Thanks to Kim and Cate for reminding me of the Day.)  But the Saturday before (April 14th) I went to the Step It Up demonstration in Maine with Craig and the kids. I was pretty darned impressed, BTW, by my son and daughter-in-law who have become eco-conscious while I wasn't looking.  They buy only organic, local food and shared their handbook for conscious consumerism with me — "Every time you buy something, it's like a vote, Mom!"  Wow.  I think I raised a good man.

Home (or: There, and Back Again)

It's always great to leave on an exciting journey and sometimes it's even greater to come back home.  Craig and I arrived in Seattle Sunday about midnight our time, 3 AM on New York time.  Our bodies were still definitely attuned to the east coast and we slept like the proverbial dead at Craig's sister's house that night.  By mid-morning we headed north and made a stop at Terra Organica in Bellingham to stock up on fresh greens and veggies.    

As we crossed the Passage on the ferry, I nearly cried for the sheer peace and beauty of the scene.  Clear blue skies, sparkling water, a warm breeze.  As we drove off the ferry we realized that the island had totally greened in the eleven days we'd been gone.  When I left for the east coast I could still see water and a neighboring island through the bare trees from my studio window.  Now the woods have leafed out and all (!) I see is that luscious, living, thousand shades of green.

Just before the conference begins . . .

It's been a crazy couple of New York days.  I'd forgotten how stressful it can be to travel (good stress, but still).   Craig and I packed a lot of adventures into a very short time.  A highlight for me was seeing Van Gogh's "Starry Night" at MoMA, and also seeing Les Miz.  We had a sweet time together.   

Still, the best time I've had so far on this trip was in Maine reconnecting with my son.  He has grown into such a fine young man.  I am so proud of him.   We talked a lot about his memories, and mine, of his growing-up years.  We talked about his brother and our times together as a young family.  I heard a bit about his life on the road in his late teens.  He's 30 now and he and Jenn will be starting a family soon.  You can bet I'll be traveling to Maine fairly often once that happens.

And starting today, I'll be immersed in the world of Tarot for 3 days!  Take a deep breath . . .

Before the Nor'easter . . .

it was sunny on Saturday and snowy on Sunday.  Today we woke up to 50 mph winds, floods and no power. Hmmm, feels familiar.  Our first visit to Maine has been a real doozy.  Tomorrow we're supposed to fly to JFK and check in to a hotel near Central Park, where they had 7 inches of rain between Sunday and Monday morning.  Maybe we'll travel in late summer next time.

It's been a great visit with the kids and grandkittens, though.  They showed us their favorite Portland places.  We walked all over downtown, took part in the Step It Up demonstration, picked up Atlantic beach glass and explored the islands.  Ate lots of local fish, veggies and clam chowder.  Went to an Irish pub Saturday night to hear a local rock band and stayed out past midnight.  Sunday's snow made it a good day to visit the Portland Art Museum where the highlight for me was seeing the NC Wyeth paintings.  Then we whiled away a few hours in RiRa, (yet another Irish pub) where we watched a ceidhli and drank pints of Guinness. Well, coffee and Bailey's for me and Jenn.  A grand time, and I can't wait to come back when it's warm and sunny.

Hope everyone caught in the storm is safe and dry!

(Photo of Jenn, Steve and me taken at the Portland Head Lighthouse on Saturday. Blue skies and sunglasses — what a concept!)

Old Mermaids in Maine

My first mermaid in Maine.

We are everywhere!

Flying into Snow and Sun

Craig and I are leaving tomorrow afternoon to catch a midnight flight to Portland, Maine — and apparently we will be flying into a snowstorm!  (Why couldn't they have moved to, say, Mexico???  Craig laments.)  My son called me yesterday to warn me that we might have to find alternative transportation from JFK to Portland if the airline shuts down its NYC to Portland run.  Train? Bus? Rental car?  We'll figure it out.  I'm way too excited to be worried about it.

We'll be with Steve and Jenn (my son and daughter-in-law) until Tuesday when we head for New York.  A couple of days playing in Manhattan, then to the Readers Studio near LaGuardia.  I don't know what I'm more excited about — spending time with Steve & Jenn and seeing Portland, being a turista in NYC, or the conference.  All are juicy in very different ways.   

A Labyrinth for Hallowmas

Yesterday I woke thinking, "I want to walk a labyrinth today.  I want to walk the one at Earth Sanctuary."

So we bundled up and headed south to mark the Turning of the Wheel.  We were blessed by thunderclouds, brilliant sunshine, rain, hail and wind.   Craig took these photos of our adventures there.

It is, by the way, a most amazing place.  We are blessed to have it here in the Northwest.

Blessed be.